The year 2024 was full of many discoveries about Mars. Not only NASA, but also the Chinese National Space Agency published its research. Some of the data obtained may completely change our perception of Mars.
2024 was an exceptionally fruitful year for Mars research, bringing groundbreaking discoveries and new challenges. The highlights included the completion of the Ingenuity mission, the discovery of an ancient ocean on Mars by Chinese scientists, new terraforming possibilities and confirmation of the existence of water in the deeper layers of the planet. Here’s a summary of the highlights.
End of the Ingenuity mission: a symbolic moment in Mars exploration
Although this is not a discovery, it is an extremely important event in the context of Mars exploration. On January 18, NASA announced the end of the Ingenuity helicopter mission. After 72 successful flights, the helicopter ceased operations due to damage to one of the rotors. Ingenuity has revolutionized the way we explore planets, enabling us to explore hard-to-reach areas of Mars and supporting the Perseverance rover mission.
Although the mission has ended, the aerospace technology demonstrated by Ingenuity will continue in future projects. NASA is already planning to send more advanced drones that could take research to a new level.
Earth-Mars relationship: 2.4-million-year orbital cycle
On March 12, geologists identified an unusual orbital cycle connecting Earth and Mars. Interactions between the two planets’ orbits were found to influence the depth of marine sediments on Earth over 2.4-million-year cycles. This new knowledge opens the way to a better understanding of the connections between the planets of the solar system and their shared evolutionary history.
Was August crucial for Mars research?
In August, the results of research on the possibility of warming the Martian atmosphere were published. Instead of using greenhouse gases, as previously suggested, scientists proposed using metal nanotubes. Introducing them into the planet’s atmosphere could raise its temperature by 30 degrees Celsius. This technology would be much more energy efficient and potentially less harmful to the Martian environment.
This idea brings us closer to the possibility of future colonization of the Red Planet. However, before implementing such advanced technologies, additional research is needed to take into account their impact on potential microorganisms in the Martian environment.
On August 12, NASA announced one of the most important discoveries of the year – evidence of the presence of liquid water 10 to 20 km below the surface of Mars. New analysis of data from the InSight mission shows that there are reservoirs of water beneath the planet’s surface that could be crucial for future space missions and potential life on Mars.
NASA’s discovery joins data from the Zhurong rover, which identified evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars. The rover found traces of sediment that indicate that there was a vast ocean in the planet’s northern hemisphere about 3.5 billion years ago. Analyzes by Chinese scientists also showed the presence of minerals related to water processes, such as clays and salts. This discovery confirms hypotheses about the existence of a long-lasting water cycle on Mars, which could have contributed to the development of conditions suitable for life.
Interestingly, not all data about Mars comes directly from studies on the planet. Interesting conclusions were provided by the Lafayette meteorite in 2024, which was “lost” in a drawer at one of the universities for years. It is unusual because traces of interaction with water were found on it. Research results published in Geochemical Perspective Letters suggest that the water may have come from melting subsurface ice, which may have been caused by volcanic activity that occurs periodically on Mars to this day.
Curiosity and Perseverance provided further interesting theories
In 2024, Curiosity and Perseverance continued their exploration, providing valuable information about the geology of Mars. The former discovered a field of pure sulfur, indicating volcanic activity in the planet’s past, while Perseverance focused on examining rocks during its journey along the slope of the Jezero crater. Analysis of unusual white rocks that Perseverance identified in 2024 could provide new information about the history of water on Mars. Both rovers play a key role in building knowledge about the planet’s past and its potential to support life.
Source: antyweb.pl
